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1828.mshaffer.com › Word [brush]
BRUSH, n. 1. An instrument for cleaning any thing of dust and dirt by light rubbing, as floors, furniture, boots, &c. Brushes originally were made of shrubs or small branches of trees tied together, and such are yet used for coarse purposes. But the materials most used are bristles set in wood. Painters use a small brush to lay colors on their large pieces. Silversmiths use a wire brush for scrubbing silver, copper or brass, in order to gilding; and there is a method of staining leather by rubbing the color on the skin with a brush.2. Branches of trees lopped off; brushwood; a sense common in the U. States.3. The small trees and shrubs of a wood; or a thicket of small trees.4. A skirmish; a slight encounter; also, an assault; a shock, or rude treatment, from collision; as we say a scouring, a rub.5. In electricity, the luminous appearance of electric matter issuing in diverging rays from a point.6. A tail; as the brush of a fox.BRUSH, v.t. To sweep or rub with a brush; as, to brush a hat. 1. To strike as with a brush; to strike lightly, by passing over the surface, without injury, or impression; as, to brush the arm in passing; to brush the briny flood.2. To paint with a brush; hence, to brush up is often used for cleansing in general.3. With off, to remove by brushing, as to brush off dust; also, to carry away by an act like that of brushing, or by passing over lightly, as by wind.4. To move as a brush; to pass over with a light contact.BRUSH, v.i. To move nimbly in haste; to move so lightly as scarcely to be perceived; as, to brush by. 1. To move or skim over,with a slight contact, or without much impression.
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Evolution (or devolution) of this word [brush]
1828 Webster | 1844 Webster | 1913 Webster |
BRUSH, n. 1. An instrument for cleaning any thing of dust and dirt by light rubbing, as floors, furniture, boots, &c. Brushes originally were made of shrubs or small branches of trees tied together, and such are yet used for coarse purposes. But the materials most used are bristles set in wood. Painters use a small brush to lay colors on their large pieces. Silversmiths use a wire brush for scrubbing silver, copper or brass, in order to gilding; and there is a method of staining leather by rubbing the color on the skin with a brush.2. Branches of trees lopped off; brushwood; a sense common in the U. States.3. The small trees and shrubs of a wood; or a thicket of small trees.4. A skirmish; a slight encounter; also, an assault; a shock, or rude treatment, from collision; as we say a scouring, a rub.5. In electricity, the luminous appearance of electric matter issuing in diverging rays from a point.6. A tail; as the brush of a fox.BRUSH, v.t. To sweep or rub with a brush; as, to brush a hat. 1. To strike as with a brush; to strike lightly, by passing over the surface, without injury, or impression; as, to brush the arm in passing; to brush the briny flood.2. To paint with a brush; hence, to brush up is often used for cleansing in general.3. With off, to remove by brushing, as to brush off dust; also, to carry away by an act like that of brushing, or by passing over lightly, as by wind.4. To move as a brush; to pass over with a light contact.BRUSH, v.i. To move nimbly in haste; to move so lightly as scarcely to be perceived; as, to brush by. 1. To move or skim over,with a slight contact, or without much impression. | BRUSH, n. [Fr. brosse; It. brusca; Sp. brusca, bruza; probably allied to browse, W. brwys, thick, branching, from rhwys, vigor, luxuriance, or prys, brushwood. A brush is primarily sprouts, shoots.]- An instrument for cleaning any thing of dust and dirt by light rubbing, as floors, furniture, boots, &c. Brushes originally were made of shrubs or small branches of trees tied together, and such are yet used for coarse purposes. But the materials most used are bristles set in wood. Painters use a small brush to lay colors on their large pieces. Silversmiths use a wire-brush for scrubbing silver, copper or brass, in order to gilding; and there is a method of staining leather by rubbing the color on the skin with a brush. – Encyc.
- Branches of trees lopped off; brushwood; a sense common in the United States.
- The small trees and shrubs of a wood; or a thicket of small trees. – Encyc.
- A skirmish; a slight encounter; also, an assault; a shock, or rude treatment, from collision; as we say a scouring, a rub.
- In electricity, the luminous appearance of electric matter issuing in diverging rays from a point. – Encyc.
- A tail; as, the brush of a fox.
BRUSH, v.i.- To move nimbly in haste; to move so lightly as scarcely to be perceived; as, to brush by. – Prior.
- To move or skim over, with a slight contact, or without much impression. – Dryden.
BRUSH, v.t.- To sweep or rub with a brush; as, to brush a hat.
- To strike as with a brush; to strike lightly, by passing over the surface, without injury, or impression; as, to brush the arm in passing; to brush the briny flood. – Dryden.
- To paint with a brush: hence, to brush up is often used for cleansing in general. – Pope.
- With off, to remove by brushing, as to brush off dust; also, to carry away by an act like that of brushing, or by passing over lightly, as by wind. – Bentley.
- To move as a brush; to pass over with a light contact. – Dryden.
| Brush
- An instrument composed of bristles, or other like
material, set in a suitable back or handle, as of wood, bone, or ivory, and
used for various purposes, as in removing dust from clothes, laying on
colors, etc. Brushes have different shapes and names according to
their use; as, clothes brush, paint brush, tooth
brush, etc.
- To apply a brush to,
according to its particular use; to rub, smooth, clean, paint, etc., with a
brush.
- To move nimbly in haste; to
move so lightly as scarcely to be perceived; as, to brush
by.
- In Australia, a dense
growth of vegetation in good soil, including shrubs and trees, mostly
small.
- The bushy tail of a fox.
- To touch in passing, or to pass lightly over, as
with a brush.
- A tuft of hair on the
mandibles.
- To remove or gather by brushing, or by an act
like that of brushing, or by passing lightly over, as wind; -- commonly
with off.
- Branches of trees lopped off;
brushwood.
- A thicket of shrubs or small trees; the shrubs
and small trees in a wood; underbrush.
- A bundle of flexible wires or
thin plates of metal, used to conduct an electrical current to or from the
commutator of a dynamo, electric motor, or similar apparatus.
- The act of brushing; as, to give one's clothes a
brush; a rubbing or grazing with a quick motion; a light touch; as,
we got a brush from the wheel as it passed.
- A skirmish; a slight encounter; a shock or
collision; as, to have a brush with an enemy.
- A short contest, or trial, of speed.
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1828 Webster | 1844 Webster | 1913 Webster |
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Brush BRUSH, noun 1. An instrument for cleaning any thing of dust and dirt by light rubbing, as floors, furniture, boots, etc. Brushes originally were made of shrubs or small branches of trees tied together, and such are yet used for coarse purposes. But the materials most used are bristles set in wood. Painters use a small brush to lay colors on their large pieces. Silversmiths use a wire brush for scrubbing silver, copper or brass, in order to gilding; and there is a method of staining leather by rubbing the color on the skin with a brush 2. Branches of trees lopped off; brushwood; a sense common in the U. States. 3. The small trees and shrubs of a wood; or a thicket of small trees. 4. A skirmish; a slight encounter; also, an assault; a shock, or rude treatment, from collision; as we say a scouring, a rub. 5. In electricity, the luminous appearance of electric matter issuing in diverging rays from a point. 6. A tail; as the brush of a fox. BRUSH, verb transitive To sweep or rub with a brush; as, to brush a hat. 1. To strike as with a brush; to strike lightly, by passing over the surface, without injury, or impression; as, to brush the arm in passing; to brush the briny flood. 2. To paint with a brush; hence, to brush up is often used for cleansing in general. 3. With off, to remove by brushing, as to brush off dust; also, to carry away by an act like that of brushing, or by passing over lightly, as by wind. 4. To move as a brush; to pass over with a light contact. BRUSH, verb intransitive To move nimbly in haste; to move so lightly as scarcely to be perceived; as, to brush by. 1. To move or skim over, with a slight contact, or without much impression.
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Compact Edition |
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217 |
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CD-ROM |
265 |
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179 |
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* As a note, I have purchased each of these products. In fact, as we have been developing the Project:: 1828 Reprint, I have purchased several of the bulky hard-cover dictionaries. My opinion is that the 2000-page hard-cover edition is the only good viable solution at this time. The compact edition was a bit disappointing and the CD-ROM as well. |
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